Apparatus for mechanical stimulation of the heart

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising a girdle provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart whereby according to the invention the bloodstream from the heart is directed towards the brain by means of a further girdle provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended and to exert a thrust against the abdomen intended to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,896,797

Bucur July 29, 1975 [54] APPARATUS FOR MECHANICAL 1,848,212 3/1932 Waterman 128/28 Tl THE EART 3,307,54l 3/l967 Hewson STIMULA 0N OF H 3.461.858 8/1969 Michelson 128/28 [75] Inventor: lonel Bucur, Lund, Sweden [73] Assignee: Bengt O. Petersson, Hisings Backa, Primary Examiner-Lawrence PP Sweden 22 Filed: Apr. 8, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart Ill] App]' 458789 comprising a girdle provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying power means ar- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical Apr. 10, 1973 Sweden 7305030 Sequence theteby Stimulating the heatt Wheteby cording to the invention the bloodstream from the 521 US Cl. 128/53 heett is directed towards the brain by means Of a 51 int. c1. A61H 7/00 thet gitdle Provided to be stretched Over the body in 581 Field of Search 128/28, 51-55 the level of the abdomen and Provided with means ranged to be extended and to exert a thrust against the [56] References Cited abdomen intended to cause a compression of aorta ab- Walker 128/28 dominalis.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JUL 2 91975 SHEEF FIG. I

APPARATUS FOR MECHANICAL STIMULATION OF THE HEART The present invention relates to an apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising a girdle provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying a power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart in said body.

From the US. Pat. No. 3,307,541 an apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart is known. The apparatus comprises a girdle intended to be tightened around the human body in the level of the heart and carrying a pneumatic piston means arranged to be connected to a pressure tank, by means of which piston means the heart can be treated by means of rhythmical massage of the chest. An apparatus of the kind mentioned has, however, very restricted effectiveness when it is used in an attempt to bring a person back to life.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart which in a more efficient way than what is possible to obtain by means of apparatuses according to the prior art will provide an increase of the blood stream to the brain which among the human organs will first be injured when the heart function is not satisfactory.

The object of the invention is obtained by means of a further girdle of the apparatus provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended thereby exerting a thrust against the abdomen intended to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis of the body.

An embodiment of the invention which is described in the following is shown on the accompanying drawings, whereby FIG. 1 shows the apparatus in a perspective view;

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus in a side view;

FIG. 3 is a transversal section through the apparatus along the line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transversal section along the line IVIV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows in a schematical way a pneumatic system of the apparatus.

According to FIGS. 1 4 the apparatus comprises a part 1 with the intended function of a bed and provided with two tunnels 2 and 3 through which two girdles 4 and 5 respectively are stretching. The girdle 4 is provided with a power cylinder 6, the piston rod of which at the inside of the girdle 4 is provided with a thrust plate 7 (FIG. 4). The girdle 5 is provided with a cylinder 8 which at the inside of the girdle 5 is provided with an inflatable baloon 9 (FIG. 3).

The tunnels 2, 3 are provided with manoevre organs 10 by means of which locking means for the girdles 4, 5 can be manoevred. The manoevre organ 10 and the locking means 15 form together a lever at each of the mouths of the tunnels, which lever is pivotable by means of a shaft 16. A spring 17 is provided to press the locking means 15 against that in the tunnel 2, 3 inserted girdle 4, 5 respectively. Thereby the locking means 15 can lock the girdle by cooperation with one of the holes in the same. By means of a thrust against the manoevre organ 10 the lever can be pivoted against the force of the spring 17 and by means of this the locking means 15 can be forced out of engagement with the girdle. At least the one end of each of the girdles 4, 5 can be entirely drawn out of the tunnel so that the girdle can be laid around the body on a person resting on the bed part 1 Preferably the girdles are provided to be displaced in the tunnels 2, 3 not only in the direction for stretching of the girdle but also in the longitudinal direction of the bed part 1 in order to suit the positions of the girdles to different persons.

As shown in FIG. 5 the pneumatic organs, the cylinders 6, 8 are provided to be connected to a pneumatic pressure source by means of hoses 11. In FIG. 5 this pressure source is shown as a pressure tank 18 with closing and reducing valves and a pressure gauge. From the pressure tank 8 a forked conduit is leading to the two pneumatic organs 6, 8 via closing valves 19 and the hoses l 1.

The pneumatic organ 6 comprises a cylinder 21 with a piston 22 objected to the force from a thrust spring 23 and provided with a piston rod 24, which is terminating in said thrust plate 7, which is intended to move in a reciprocal movement. To obtain this function a pneumatic pulse generator is provided in that conduit, which leads to the organ 6.

The pulse generator 20 comprises a house 25 with a main channel 26 by means of which the organ 6 is connected to the pressure tank 18 via the hose 11. From the main channels 26 a branched channel 27 is leading to a cylinder space 28 via a regulating valve 29. The branched channel 27 can be vented by means of a second regulating valve 30. In the cylinder space 28 a piston 31 is arranged to move to and fro and is thereby objected to the force from a spring 32. The piston 31 is provided with a piston rod 33 which is arranged as a closing valve in the main channel 26. The valve body on the piston rod 33 shows a seat in the channel 26 and the piston 31 shows a seat adjacent to the inlet in the cylinder 28 for the branched channel 27.

The part I intended to have the function of a bed is provided with an upper surface curve which will give the body of a person laying on the bed part 1 a convex posture seen from the front whereby the head is leaning backwards (see FIG. 2). In order to facilitate the transportation the part 1 is divided into two sections connected by means of a hinge 12 whereby said surface curve is so shaped that the two sections suit each other and are forming a parallelepipedic body 13 when folded together as is evident from FIG. 2. The one of the sections is provided with an extensible box 14 suitable for storing of said pressure tank 18.

By use of the apparatus the bed part 1 is placed in unfolded position on a substantially horizontal ground and the girdles 4, 5 are open. Hereinafter the body of the patient is laid on the bed part 1 in the position shown in FIG. 2. The girdles are tightened around the body, the girdle 4 so that the pneumatic organ 6 will be placed in the front of the heart and the girdle 5 so that the pneumatic organ 8 will be placed in the level of the abdomen to the left.

The pneumatic organs 6, 8 are by means of the hoses 11 connected to the pressure tank 18. After that the main valve is opened the baloon 9 is filled with gas under pressure by opening the respective valve 19. The baloon 9 is inflated and presses as is evident from FIG. 3 the wall of the abdomen inwards and if the baloon is in the right position, aorta abdominalis will be pressed against the vertebral column. Thereby the bloodstream to the lower extremeties will be restricted and when the heart is stimulated the bloodstream will substantially be directed towards the brain, which is very sensitive to restrictions in the supply of blood.

For starting of the heart stimulating operation the second one of the valves 19 is opened. During a first period of time the piston rod 33 is forced by the spring 32 to be in the position shown in FlG. and the pressure gas has an unrestricted way through the main channel 26 to the organ 6. By means of the pressure gas the piston 22 of the organ 6 will be displaced against the force from the spring 23 so that the thrust plate 7 will press against the heart via the chest as shown in FIG. 4. However, the pressure gas will escape via the branch channel 27 and the regulating valve 29 to the piston 31. When the pressure at the piston 31 has reached a certain level the force from the spring 32 is overcome and the piston 31 begins to move towards the main channel 26. When the piston lifts from its seat a larger surface of the piston is exposed to the gas pressure. Thereby the piston is momentarily moved to its second extreme position in which the valve body formed by the piston rod 28 closes the main channel 26. The gas entrapped between the valve body 33 and the piston 22 of the organ 26 escapes relatively slowly out through the two regulating valves 29, 30. Thereby the thrust plate 7 returns to its inner position under the force from the spring 23 against the piston 22. At the same time the pressure in the cylinder room 28 decreases and the pressure against the valve body 33 together with the force from the spring 32 after a while will overcome the decreasing pressure in the cylinder 28 whereby the valve body 33 lifts from its seat so that the surface of the same, exposed to the pressure in the main channel 26. increases. Consequently, the piston 31 with the piston rod 33 momentarily will return to its original position shown in FIG. 5 and the pressure gas again can flow unrestricted through the main channel 26 and the hose 11 to the organ 6 so that the piston 22 with the thrust plate 7 will make a new stroke. ln this way the cycle is repeated so that the heart is mechanically stimulated by means of a rhythmical treatment. The frequence of the same can be regulated by means of the regulating valves 29, 30.

Byv means of the shape of the bed part 1 the body of the patient will be supported in such position that the heart will be well exposed to external massage and aorta abdominalis in position to be efficiently compressed. Furthermore, the bed part can be provided to give the head a position which will free the air passage and facilitate the using of artificial respiration.

ln spite of its complex and advanced function the apparatus according to the invention is very easy to handle and it is suited to be brought in function very rapidly according to its transportability as well as to its easy preparation for use.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising a girdle provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart in said body, which apparatus comprises a further girdle provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended thereby exerting a thrust against the abdomen intended to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis of the body.

2. Apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising two girdles, the one provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying a I power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart in said body and the other girdle provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended thereby exerting a thrust against the abdomen to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis of the body, whereby the two girdles are connected to a body formed as a bed intended to carry said human body during the treatment.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the body formed as a bed is provided with a curved supporting surface provided to give the front side of said human body a convex posture by means of which the heart and the aorta abdominalis are'well exposed for compression.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said body formed as a bed is divided into two sections arranged to be folded together.

5 Apparatus according to claim 2 comprising a body formed as a bed with a curved supporting surface and divided into two sections arranged to be laid together, in which the curved supporting surface which is divided into two parts each on one of the sections of the body formed as a bed is so shaped that the two parts will fit each other when laid together.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the body formed as a bed is comprising tunnels provided to partly enclose the girdles. 

1. Apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising a girdle provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart in said body, which apparatus comprises a further girdle provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended thereby exerting a thrust against the abdomen intended to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis of the body.
 2. Apparatus for mechanical stimulating of the heart comprising two girdles, the one provided to be stretched over the chest of a human body and carrying a power means arranged to mechanically treat said chest in a rhythmical sequence thereby stimulating the heart in said body and the other girdle provided to be stretched over the body in the level of the abdomen and provided with means arranged to be extended thereby exerting a thrust against the abdomen to cause a compression of aorta abdominalis of the body, whereby the two girdles are connected to a body formed as a bed intended to carry said human body during the treatment.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the body formed as a bed is provided with a curved supporting surface provided to give the front side of saId human body a convex posture by means of which the heart and the aorta abdominalis are well exposed for compression.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said body formed as a bed is divided into two sections arranged to be folded together.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 comprising a body formed as a bed with a curved supporting surface and divided into two sections arranged to be laid together, in which the curved supporting surface which is divided into two parts each on one of the sections of the body formed as a bed is so shaped that the two parts will fit each other when laid together.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the body formed as a bed is comprising tunnels provided to partly enclose the girdles. 